Indian Philosophy

Author(s): Sukhlal Sanghavi
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Philosophy-Origin and Subject-matter
The direction of philosophical speculation is progressive. Thus proceeding from what is gross it moves upto what is subtle, from what is subtle upto what is most subtle - thus ultimately finding rest in what is something incomprehensible. Employing a Jaina terminology it can be said that phllosophical speculation begins with dravya (=outward appearance) or what is gross and culminates in bhava (inner essence) or what is the subtlest paryaya ( = mode) or something incomprehensible. A historical and comparative study of the available Indian philosophical literature testifies this very situation. The statement is corroborated by the very evolution that has been undergone by the consideration of the chief subject-matter of philosophical speculation - viz. the three things world, soul and God. Thus about the constitution of the world there first arises the physical standpoint. Those upholding such a standpoint - be they Carvakas, Nyaya-Valseṣika, Sankhya, Buddhist or Jaina - have been considering the nature of the world by treating it as something physical in some form or other. They certainly, exhibit among themselves a more or less pronounced difference of opinion but they all uphold the same standpoint so far as the fundamental idea is concerned that is, the idea that the visible universe is made up of some physical substance or other or is of the form of a physical substance. This constitutes what is called the physical (=adhibhautika) standpoint as regards the world. But in course of time there arises another standpoint, viz. the psychical (=adhivijñāna, adhicaitasika) standpoint. According to this standpoint, the world seen and experienced is not made of any physical substance but is solely of the form of consciousness. To wit, this world is verily an externally appearing form of consciousness that is something internal; this form is not really something different from consciousness and since it yet appears to be something different therefrom it is of the nature of a concealed truth or something imputed. After this standpoint too there comes another one and that is the spiritual (=adhyatma, adhibrahma) standpoint. According to the latter, the world is ultimately of the form of a sole impartite reality comprising existence, consciousness and bliss, a reality technically called Brahman - while on the other hand all grossness or multiplicity experienced therein is something illusory and ultimately unreal.
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A similar evolution of thought is encountered in respect of soul. Thus those like the materialist Carvākas denied independent individuality to a soul or consciousness but supposed it to be a mere physical transformation and accounted for the experienced life-practice on the basis of this supposition. But then there arose other philosophers who went beyond this Cārvāka supposition and who, attributing an independent individuality to a
Niyayavayanijjasacca savvaṇaya paraviyālaṇe mohā /
Te una na diṭṭhasamao vibhayai sacce va alie vā //28/1
-Saamati, First Kāṇḍa
Also to be consulted are the gathās 46-49 of the third Kanda of Sanmati.